Footprints
by Nozomi Kurihara
Summary: It fell in the mountains… it fell through the night…And all the surroundings turned white… It covers trees, flowers and rivers and makes the world go “hush”… Last night when I was sleeping, the snow came softly down and took away my one and on


Sanzo-ikkou were found in a middle of a forest, all of them shivering and complaining whether they are near the town or not.

"Sanzo harahetta!! We're traveling for hours now! Can't we even have a rest?" Goku pleads, climbing onto Sanzo's shoulders.

"Get off, or I'll let you rest in **PEACE**, you stomach-brained stupid monkey!" Sanzo yells as he puts his gun right onto Goku's forehead. Goku raises his hand and sits quietly and sighs...

"Hehehehehe, that's what you get for being hungry all the time, you stupid mokey!" Gojyo laughs, and pokes Goku.

Goku stood up and yells back, "Don't call me stupid! You redheaded pervert!"

"Ah? What did you call me!? You stomach-brained stupid mokey!"

"Akagokiburi-gappa!"

"Kono noomisoibukuro zaru ga!!!!"

And as usual the two of them started to fight which always displeases Sanzo... **BANG**! There goes Sanzo's gun...

"Ma-ma-, everyone we're almost there." Hakkai smiles.

"Hey, Hakkai, are you sure we're near the town now? It's getting cold in here, somehow..." Gojyo shivers...

"Hmph... It might snow sooner or later." Sanzo explains.

"Well, if it's gonna snow today, let's all have Sukiyaki for dinner!" Hakkai suggests.

"SUKIYAKI!?" Goku and Gojyo exclaims at the same time, and glares at each other.

"Hehehe, wow, Sukiyaki... I'm excited!" Goku cries.

"Huh? Does stupid monkey likes Sukiyaki that much?"

"Of course! It's Sukiyaki! Su-Ki-Ya-Ki! Imagine that!!!"

* * *

_"You stupid monkey! This is my house so behave!!! Don't mess up my things!" Gojyo yelled._

_"Don't call me stupid monkey! Besides I am a HUMAN being!!! And I'm smart, if I'll be excused!!!"_

_And the two of them started to fight again. Rumble-Rumble  
  
"Sanzo, did you have some purpose coming here at Gojyo's residence?" Hakkai asked, as he served Sanzo some coffee._

_"Not really. I and Goku just passed by, and that stupid monkey insisted in dropping by, but look what they're doing.. sigh" Sanzo sipped his coffee._

_"Ahahaha, they're like real brothers." Hakkai smiled, "By the way, it's getting cold nowadays, isn't it? What about we have Sukiyaki tonight?"_

_"Ah... Is it that season already?" Sanzo asked._

_"Well, yes."_

_"Sukiyaki? What the heck is that? Is it yummy? " Goku asked._

_"Kono bakazaru, don't you know that??? It is a winter food, which we boil by ourselves in front of the table." Gojyo explains. And Goku's eyes twinkles. "You're still an amateur in foods." Gojyo taps Goku's head._

_"Come back here, when the first snow is seen, okay?" Hakkai smiled._

_".................." Goku fell silent..._

* * *

"Phew! I thought so! It started snowing!!!" Gojyo yelled. 

Goku fell silent and gazed up the sky..., "Snow..." he mumbled.

"Good news everybody, we're near town now!" Hakkai informed the others.

"Yee-haw! It's gonna be a Par-ty! Eh, Goku?" Gojyo exclaimed but there was no sign that Goku was listening. "Oh well... Here we go again..." Gojyo mumbled. And everybody fell silent for they know each other beyond explanation.

* * *

_It fell in the mountains... it fell through the night..._

_And all the surroundings turned white... It covers trees, flowers and rivers and makes the world go "hush"..._

_Last night when I was sleeping, the snow came softly down and took away my one and only friend... _

* * *

_"There Sanzo-sama, here is the golden statue that was stolen!" Gojyo said sarcastically, "You always give us these dirty jobs and you always sit coolly here, keeping warm! I hope SOMEONE here could get me some hot green tea..."_

_"The thermos would be out the corridor. Go get it for all of us." Sanzo ordered Gojyo._

_"Tsk! Can't you even be ashamed of yourself for letting US do the job which should be done by you?! Eh, you corrupted monk!?" Gojyo yelled placing his feet unto Sanzo's table._

_"Ma-ma-"Hakkai smiled stopping the two of them to start another argument, "By the way Sanzo, where is Goku? It seems real quiet without him around..."_

_"Ah, maybe he's playing outside building some dumb snowman" Gojyo said._

_"He's in his room for three days now..." Sanzo answered._

_"Huh? But why? Shouldn't he-..."_

_"He said he hates it..." Sanzo interrupted._

_And the three of them fell in silence... Gojyo wondered why an energetic boy like him hates snow... So, Gojyo and Hakkai decided to visit him in his room.  
  
Goku was found in the corner of his room, hiding in his blanket... "Bakazaru, why don't you go out and play in the snow!?" Gojyo yelled at Goku for the fact that he hates people who can't face their fears... And he tossed away Goku's blanket._

_"Wha! Why did you do that for?! Leave me alone!! I won't go out until the snow season is over!" Goku yelled back._

_"Goku, if you could tell us, why do you hate the snow that much?" Hakkai asked kindly._

_"I hate it! Yanandayo! It makes the surrounding cold and lonely!"_

_"Well yeah, it's snow, are you stupid?" Gojyo laughed._

_"I know... I know... But... I can't... It makes the world friendless..."_

_"Well, we can't force someone who is very determined to be alone." Hakkai smiled._

_"Ja-na bakazaru!" Gojyo bends and brushes Goku's hair._

_"If you need something, we'll come by okay? See you next time." Hakkai went away as well as Gojyo, and Goku bends over again..._

_

* * *

SQUISH! A snow ball just hit the wall wherein Goku was resting... Goku's first thought was that Gojyo was playing mean tricks to him again, so he didn't get bothered and never did look up._

_"Excuse me..." a soft voice of a girl was heard from the window, "I'm sorry if you were hit..."_

_Goku looked to the window and saw a shadow of a little girl of his age._

_"Who are you?! Why are you here?" Goku asked as he walked to the window side._

_"I was just playing with the snow... I am sorry if I ever disturbed you..." the girl hid in the tree for she thought that Goku was furious at her, "Why aren't you playing outside? Do you want to play with me?"_

_Goku was stabbed with the words she said and was ashamed of himself... "I won't play... Leave me alone...!" Goku yelled at her._

_"Ah! Now I know! You're afraid of the snow, aren't you? My name is Yukino, I can help you be brave!" she smiled._

_"H-How did you know...!? I-I can be brave? I can go out?" Goku's face lightened up._

_"Of course! We can play together, and go exploring this forest!" Yukino smiled._

_"Really!? That's great! Now, what should I do?" Goku exclaimed, he's starting to get excited._

_"Come... Hold my hand, just think of wonderful things." Yukino stretched her hand._

_Goku closed his eyes and reached his hand to get a hold of Yukino's..._

_"Now jump!" Yukino ordered._

_"I can't!"_

_"Believe in yourself!" Yukino ordered again. And Goku determined to jump. He jumped out of the window and successfully landed in a snow-free ground._

_"You did it!!!! Bravo!!! You're fantastic!!!" Yukino jumps and claps with joy, "Now, open your eyes and see the surrounding." Yukino smiled._

_".......... There's no snow!!! Incredible!!.... Is that you?" Goku asked._

_Yukino smiled and nodded._

_"Thanks..." Goku smiled._

_"No problem." Yukino blushed a little and smiled.  
  
"Hey where do you want to go? Let's explore this forest as you said awhile ago." Goku said. And Yukino started to walk while Goku followed her._

_The both of them had a wonderful time. Goku talked about his friends and told Yukino how he was always called 'stupid' and all. Yukino only listened and giggled.  
  
"Hey, that's a nice hair ornament you have." Goku said._

_"Thanks, my mom gave it to me. It's a very precious thing for me. Do you have something precious, too? What is it?" Yukino asked._

_"Something precious?" Goku fell silent, "I guess I don't have one..."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well... I always loose it... But I won't loose you!" Goku declared._

_"Haha, that's sweet of you." Yukino giggled._

_"No! I'm serious, I will never loose you." Goku said confidently. Yukino fell silent and asked, "Will you promise...?"_

_"Of course!" Goku exclaimed. But something was bothering Yukino... which Goku didn't realize._

_"Then, I'll promise you that I will grant you any wish!" Yukino forced a smile and mumbled something.  
  
Moments later the two of them reached a bridge and Goku suddenly sat down.  
"Hey, can we rest for a while, and let's go back after I rest... Sanzo might hit me again with his paper fan..."_

_"Sure. Let's rest for a while." Yukino smiled, when she tried to sit beside Goku, her hair ornament fell into the river, "My treasure!" she yelled._

_"Did it fell? I'll get it for you." Goku said._

_"No, I'll get it... That's mine anyway."_

_"Stop. I said I'll get it... You just stay here; the river would be very cold."_

_"Why do you want to get it? Are you doing that for me?" Yukino doubted._

_"Of course! That's something precious then you need to protect it, and I'll protect you so I'll get it for you!" Goku explained._

_In a split of seconds, Goku removed his shirt and shoes and jumped in to the river... Seconds have past but Goku still doesn't come up of the water... Yukino is now worried that he might have drowned...SPLASH! Goku raised up the hair ornament with a smile._

_The two of them started walking again, round-and-round the forest... Goku suddenly said, "You know Yukino, before you came to my life... I hated snow... I wish I never had them in my life..."_

_"Is... Is that true?"_

_"Yeah, I HATE SNOW!" Goku said loudly. As Goku said the last three words, some ominous sounds were heard..._

_Tears were suddenly seen in Yukino's eyes. Mists started to appear in the forest... The whole surrounding went dark... Yukino suddenly screamed with all her might._

_"Yukino! What's happening!? Are you all right??"_

_"Hahahahaha, you fool! What are you asking for? You're wish is granted, boy!" a piercing voice was heard from the back of Yukino._

_"Who are you!? What are you going to do to Yukino!?"_

_"Don't you still understand? You're wish is my command." the beast said._

_"I am Yukino, the Keeper of Snow... And I control the snow... The snow and I are one..." Yukino said while tears are falling from her eyes..._

_"W-What do you mean? I can't understand..." Goku said worrying that something terrible will happen..._

_"You fool! If she is the Keeper of the Snow, I am the Keeper of the Woods; I control the wish of the people who enters my forest. And you wished that you had never had snow in your life, and now I am granting your wish. I have Yukino's heart, that means that I can control her in anyway I want. But instead of letting Yukino kill you, I planned that 'what if she dies in front of you?' wouldn't that be fun? Enjoy!" the beast started to laugh in his cold voice._

_"What....? Did I...?.... No! No! No! I-I must be dreaming!!!" Goku looked terrified.  
  
"Goku... Thanks... Thanks for the time you spent with me... And for saving my ornament... I prefer to die than for me to kill you... So... Sayonara..." for the last time, Yukino smiled and tears have started to fall again._

_Yukino started to run away from Goku... While Goku starts to follow her, "Yukino!!!" and shouts her name until his voice becomes sore..._

_But Yukino covers her ears and continue to run away from him... "No... He hates me... I should not go near him or he'll suffer..." she mumbled to herself... Without noticing she was headed to a cliff..._

_Yukino looses her balance, and down.... down... down... she went..._

_Goku who still loves Yukino runs towards the cliff and he jumps shouting, "Yukino!!!! Ima sugu tasukeni ikuyo!!! (Yukino!!!! I'm going to help you!!!)_

_Goku fell down... down... down... the cliff wherein he lost consciousness..._

_Goku's unconscious body was found down the cliff... His face full of sorrow..._

_Though the body is lost... The spirit and emotion was alive... Before Yukino completely disappears, she gave Goku her precious hair ornament and kissed him good bye...  
  
**"Suki dayo... Wasurenai kara... Yakusoku suru yo! Watashi tachi no sugoshita jikan wo mou ichido dake misete ageru kara ne... Itsuka mata aimasho..."**_

_(__I love you... I won't forget... I promise! I will once again show you the time  
we spent... Let's see each other someday...)_

_

* * *

_

"Goku!" Hakkai yelled.

"Baka-zaru!" Gojyo yelled.

"......" Sanzo didn't care.

Goku finally opened his eyes, "Phew, you startled us Goku... You seem alright in a way." Hakkai smiled...

"Huh? What am I doing here?" Goku asked...

"What are you saying?! You fell of from the jeep!!! I bet you were dreaming something about diving into a gigantic plate eh!?" Gojyo said.

"Goku, are you alright? I think you need to rest for a while... The town is just 4 blocks away... C'mon, ride the jeep..." Hakkai said. But Goku closed his eyes, and searched something from his pocket. And handed a hair ornament to Gojyo.

"What the heck is this? Don't tell us you were wearing that?!" Gojyo exclaimed but Goku was still silent so Gojyo made a face... And Goku finally said, "This is my treasure..." And stretched his arms so everybody can see it.

"What the heck happened, stupid monkey? Say it!" Sanzo demanded.

Goku started to cry... "Hey Sanzo, are you picking a fight with him? Look! You made a little baby cry!" Gojyo said.

"Hmph." Sanzo really didn't care for he knows that Goku remembered something very awful...

"...... I don't know.... I really don't know... It's just that... I remembered something really sad... Something terrible.... And at the same time something happy...But I wished for a wish that shouldn't be said... And... And..." Goku closed his eyes, "And I lost something really important for my life....!!!" he yelled.

Everybody didn't say a word... And they all rode inside the jeep... But Goku looked back from the jeep... And he saw... the footprints... of which they spent together a long time ago...

**_"Yakusoku... mamoreta ne... Ore mo... wasure nai yo... Ore mo Yukino suki dayo"_ he smiled...**  
(The promise... you could keep it... Me too... I won' forget... I love you, too)

* * *

_THE END_


End file.
